UO MFA grads all over the 'Net
Dang, scribblers!
The days of late have been filled with UO MFA grads getting themselves all published on the interwebs and such (oh, and one in the little-known publication called The New York Times).
Could I get a shout-out from some LNF grads, plz?
Anyway, congrats to these folks:
1. Elyse Fenton, whose gorgeous poem "Planting, Hayhurst Farm" provided some quiet contemplation and a turning point in February's student veteran play, Telling (cover story about that here), had a lovely essay about being a modern war bride in the NYT's "Modern Love" section on Sunday.
2. Heather Ryan, whose also lovely essay about using FOOD for Lane County's Dining Room (*about which there is art up at DIVA right now!*), appeared on Salon.com Tuesday. That link is here. Warning: If you're not a Salon premium subscriber, you may need to watch a short ad. (I dunno, I paid up cuz I got sick of the ads in February or so.) Also! Heather Ryan blogs here, at Terrible Mother. (This has almost spawned an entire post of mine talking about my annoyance/understanding/annoyance cycle with bloggers speaking of their partners as "Mrs or Mr B" and their children as "Thing One" or "Youngest" or whatever, but that can wait. I come to celebrate UO writers, not go off on them.)
3. Michael Copperman, whose mean-spirited letter to the editor back in 2006 somehow didn't prevent us from publishing his lament for men's wrestling at the UO this year, publishes his blog at Open Salon. Check it out here..
I heard a rumor that Jonathan Wei and Max Rayneard, writers of the aforementioned Telling, may have a portion of the play published in an upcoming issue of the groaningly prestigious Iowa Review. So, boyos, fess up and let me know the linkage when it occurs.
Congrats to all of you! More shout-outs? Speak to me, UO grads! You're kicking ass on the interwebs this week!
Dear Ms. Steffen,
I wanted to object to the idea that letter was 'mean-spirited.' As I told Jason, I meant nothing personal; I read the Weekly, and I believe in calling a spade and spade. Since I'm of Flannery O'Connor's opinion that "Absolute accuracy of expression is the sole morality of writing," I don't think poor prose should go unchallenged. And look at Jason's reviews-- they have been well-written of late. What seems more 'mean-spirited' is reposting a link to a forgotten letter to the editor, when you know how Jason feels about it.
When you 'wonder' about that Weekly essay, I find myself thinking that Ted took it because it was good. As for 'prestige,' I would tend to think that the six essays I published with the R-G last year, or the essay I had in the Oregonian a couple months ago, or the stories I have forthcoming from the Arkansas Review and Third Reader are all bigger fish, as much I like the EW.
And along those lines, I would suggest that Heather Ryan's use of things like Thing One and Thing Two and Fort Awesome aren't some new internet phenomenon, but reflect an intentional use of a device that both Lorrie Moore and Amy Hempel used in their early work (ie, Self-Help and Reasons to Live). Since I know you'd queried her about the possibility of writing for you, I'd caution you that she can be a bit touchy about criticism from people who want to work with her. That includes the myriad national publications that she writes for at 1-3 bucks a word. Believe me, she can be a handful-- and I'd know, since she's my best friend.
Mike
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Submitted by Michael Copperman (not verified) on Fri, 09/05/2008 - 19:44.Post new comment